Flames News

Giordano nets game-winner in 3-2 OT victory over Detroit

CALGARY, AB -- Mark Giordano scored his second goal 3:12 into overtime to give the Calgary Flames a 3-2 win against the Detroit Red Wings at Scotiabank Saddledome on Friday.

Joe Colborne scored with 1:12 remaining in the third period, and Jonas Hiller made 27 saves for the Flames (2-5-0), who ended a four-game losing streak.

Gustav Nyquist and Brendan Smith scored for Detroit (3-4-0), which has lost four straight.

After faking a shot, Johnny Gaudreau slid a pass to Giordano, who cut back across the crease and lifted the puck past Red Wings goaltender Jimmy Howard for Calgary's first home win this season.

Hiller made back-to-back saves on Red Wings forward Teemu Pulkkinen about 1:30 into the 3-on-3.

Colborne tied the game 2-2 when he deflected Giordano's shot from the point behind Howard.

Calgary was among the NHL's best late-game teams last season, tying for first in overtime wins (nine), ranking second in third-period goal differential (plus-31), third in wins when trailing after two periods (10), and fifth in points percentage when leading after two periods (.923, 24-1-1).

Detroit took a 2-1 lead with two power-play goals in the first period.

With Flames defenceman Deryk Engelland off for holding, Red Wings defencemen Niklas Kronwall and Mike Green worked the puck at the top of the zone before Green fed Henrik Zetterberg down low. He quickly found Nyquist in the slot, where he one-timed his third of the season by Hiller at 7:38 and ended Detroit's 0-for-13 power-play streak.

Gaudreau tied it 1-1 at 11:02. Working his way behind the net, he sailed a pass to Giordano at the point, where he snapped a shot through traffic that found the top corner over Howard's blocker.

With Giordano off for delay of game, Smith's shot from the point deflected off a Flames defender past Hiller at 12:40.

Flames right wing Jiri Hudler, the reigning Lady Byng Award recipient, had his first NHL fight, against Red Wings rookie Landon Ferraro with 2:33 left in the period.

Hiller kept Calgary within one goal in the third period with two blocker saves, first stopping Dylan Larkin from point blank near the midway point, and another on Tomas Tatar, who corralled a wide point shot off the end boards before trying to catch the goaltender out of position at 12:31.

Detroit defenceman Mike Green left in the first period, and Calgary forward Micheal Ferland was injured in the second.